Thin film chemistry and surface engineering, in particular, the generation of new molecular electronic and photonic materials is attracting considerable interest. Development of a fundamental understanding of molecular interactions, orientation, and function is essential for the formation of device-quality organic mono- and multi-layers. Direct control of thin film properties led to a wide range of applications in molecular-based optics and electronics. For instance, low-voltage redox-active molecules were found useful in the design of new charge-storage memory devices [1, 2]. These molecular-based memories, bound to Si(100), withstand operation and device processing temperatures [2]. Much effort has been devoted to the development of molecular switches in solution, whereas such system immobilized on substrate surfaces is a rapidly developing field [1, 2-6]. Recently, an example of a redox-switch self-assembled structure on an optically transparent Pt electrode has been reported [5].
Molecular memory applications based on porphyrin-based elements and methods of forming electrically addressable data storage devices based on such elements are described for example in references [7-9].